Chapter 42: Collaboration: Tensura x Laurier
(Volume 2 — Part 1)
Bell Cranel and Laurier's doujinshi had become wildly popular for a multitude of reasons.
The incredible quality of the previous installment was certainly a factor, but this new release brought unprecedented elements to the table. It was a massive two-part set—an upper and lower volume—featuring an isekai setting where monsters spoke and built their own nation. But most importantly, it featured the appearance of the Black Dragon at the very end.
The Black Dragon—the final and greatest enemy of the Three Great Quests. Defeating it would be the highest honor for an adventurer.
Naturally, even if this was a work of pure fantasy, the Loki Familia—who actively aimed to slay the Black Dragon—could not simply ignore the contents of this lower volume. It was all but inevitable that they would eventually gather in the captain's office to discuss it.
"Well then, what does everyone think of the contents of this book?"
Everyone in the room stared with uniformly serious expressions at the lower volume in Finn's hand. Currently present were Finn, all the top executives, their chief deity Loki, as well as Raul, Aki, and Lefiya.
"…The Black Dragon, huh," Riveria was the first to speak.
For her, the mention of the Black Dragon inevitably brought back memories of Alfia, the woman who had allied with Absolute Evil seven years ago. Gareth felt the exact same way. Having personally witnessed Alfia's tragic resolve on the 18th floor of the Dungeon, they simply couldn't ignore any topic involving the dragon.
"Well, the Black Dragon is a nasty piece of work, but I've got a feeling this 'Jura Tempest Federation' is gonna be the real headache for us."
Flipping through the upper volume, Loki frowned at the depiction of the monster nation. If the monsters drawn in these pages were interpreted as the Xenos, it meant the author had possessed knowledge of the Xenos well before the Loki Familia had even learned of their existence.
That alone wasn't too shocking, considering Evilus and the Guild had been involved with them for quite some time. The real issue was the depiction of monsters building a nation and openly interacting with humans. This was the exact reality Ouranos had spent years dreaming of—true coexistence between humans and the Xenos.
"Monsters building a country and mingling with people...? It's the exact sight Ouranos has been dreaming of for years, but it's way too early for the lower world right now. If this gets out, it'll cause way more than just a little panic," Loki grumbled, scratching her head in blatant frustration.
"Still, this hot spring scene is pretty sweet! They might be monsters, but they've got some great b—!?"
Smack! Riveria's hand chopped down squarely on the goddess's lust-filled head. A crisp, satisfying sound echoed through the office as Loki's eyes practically spun.
"Have a little decency as a goddess, Loki," the high elf scolded.
"Ah… well, Loki's concerns certainly aren't misplaced," Finn said, steering the conversation back on track. "How did the city look, Raul?"
"Yes, sir! Aki and I asked around a bit, but reactions are mixed. Mostly, people just see the talking monsters as a quirky setting for the story. The vast majority aren't reading too deeply into it."
Finn nodded at Raul's report. If the public was just accepting the talking monsters as a convenient fantasy setting, then perhaps it was fine.
"However," Finn continued, "we can't say for sure that some sharp-minded individuals won't connect the armed monsters from our previous Knossos raid with the setting of this book, and deduce the existence of the Xenos from there. Given our position of having allied with the monsters back then, we don't want to do anything that even hints at their existence."
"Um, but this book is already widely circulated…" Lefiya raised her hand timidly. "Wouldn't trying to recall all the copies now be practically impossible? And wouldn't doing so just make people more suspicious that we're hiding something?"
Finn nodded in agreement. In truth, that was exactly what he was most worried about. He pressed his fingers against his brow, looking as if a severe headache was coming on.
"You're right, Lefiya. The book is already out there in the city. If we try to forcibly recall it now, it'll only invite further suspicion."
"Yeah, no kidding…" Loki muttered awkwardly, rubbing her cheek.
Just as a heavy atmosphere threatened to settle over the room, Tiona's carefree voice instantly shattered the tension.
"But guys, aren't you overthinking this? Bell going to another world and making friends with monsters sounds like fun!"
"Can you take this seriously for one second?" Tione sighed, rubbing her forehead at her sister's sheer airheadedness.
"But come on, look at this!" Tiona casually held up the upper volume and pointed at a specific page. "Isn't this slime kid super cute? He talks, he's all squishy, and he's definitely a good kid!"
"Yeah… he is." Ais smiled brightly, nodding in agreement. "Actually, I've only read up to the first volume so far. I haven't started the second volume yet."
"…Right," Finn said with a slight sigh. "We got a bit off track, but originally, I wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on the contents of the second volume."
Finn spread several copies of the second volume across the table, and everyone in the room eagerly reached for one. Loki, Riveria, and Gareth had already finished reading it and had completed their exchange of opinions before the others had barged in.
With a look of pure excitement, Tiona opened her copy and immediately immersed herself in the story's world.
.....
『 "There!" 』
『 "Gah— Ouch, ouch, ouch…" 』
Holding a wooden sword, Bell took a swift strike to the torso from Hakurou's blinding flash of a swing, collapsing to the ground. Looking down at him, Hakurou placed a hand on his chin in thought.
『 "Ho ho ho. Not bad for someone your age. Moreover, you earnestly absorb my teachings and constantly try to steal my techniques. You will become strong, Bell." 』
『 "Really? Ehehe, thank you very much!" 』 Bell beamed happily at the praise.
『 "Compared to him, Gobta!" 』
『 "Yes, sir!" 』
『 "Why don't you learn from Sir Bell and devote yourself a little more?" 』
『 "Ugeeeh~" 』
At Gobta's utterly unmotivated reply, a vein bulged on Hakurou's forehead. An aura of pure, murderous intent visibly manifested behind the old swordsman as he raised his wooden blade.
『 "Perfect timing. Gobta, how about a little sparring match with me?" 』
『 "Wait, what!? If I spar with you, Master, I'll die—I mean, how about I spar with Bell instead, sir!?" 』
『 "Eeeh!? I'm sparring with you, Mr. Gobta?" 』 Bell cried out in surprise, having been suddenly dragged into the mess.
Hearing this, Hakurou smoothly retracted his murderous aura. He stroked his chin, considering the proposal.
『 "Hmm. Very well. Experiencing the swordplay of a warrior from another world will be a good learning experience for you." 』
『 "Heck yeah, sir!" 』
『 "Um, what about my opinion…" 』
Ignoring Bell's protests, the sparring match between him and Gobta was decided.
.....
"This old man with the horns looks super strong!" Tiona practically vibrated with excitement.
"Yeah. Taking Bell down that easily… I kind of want him to train me, too," Ais agreed, her eyes glued to the pages.
Listening to them, Bete's ears twitched. He glared down at the drawing of Bell, irritated by the very concept of him taking combat lessons from a monster, and clicked his tongue loudly.
.....
『 "We shall allow the use of skills for this bout." 』
Standing between them as the referee, Hakurou signaled the start as Bell and Gobta readied their wooden swords. Initially, Gobta had been drawn with a goofy, cheerful expression, simply relieved that he didn't have to fight Hakurou. But the moment their blades crossed, the atmosphere shifted. Gobta's entire demeanor changed, his face hardening into one of absolute seriousness.
『 "Here I come, sir!" 』
Gobta took the initiative, charging straight ahead in a seemingly straightforward attack. It was a move anyone could have predicted—but in the very next panel, Gobta sank into his own shadow, vanishing completely.
『 "Wha—!?" 』
『 "Whoa! You blocked it, sir!?" 』
Though initially shocked by Gobta's disappearance, Bell immediately sensed the presence behind him. He instantly used his wooden sword as a shield, flawlessly blocking Gobta's surprise attack as the goblin leaped out from his shadow.
『 "Sorry. I'm just a bit sensitive to gazes and presences," 』 Bell said apologetically.
Gobta's eyes widened in shock as he was pushed back.
『 "Ho ho ho. Cheap tricks won't work on Sir Bell, Gobta," 』 Hakurou laughed in amusement, his eyes shining like a veteran swordsman who had just found a worthy prey.
『 "Then it's a head-on clash of pure skill, sir!" 』 Gobta shouted, kicking off the ground with incredible force.
His movements seemed brutally straightforward, but they were deceiving. The way he used his entire body to relentlessly assault Bell was so brilliantly illustrated that even the executives of the Loki Familia found themselves internally marveling at it.
『 "I won't lose!" 』
But Bell held his ground. He expertly parried Gobta's relentless barrage, constantly looking for an opening to counterattack. The sheer precision of the artwork and the intense, dynamic framing of the fight made the readers swallow hard. It felt as though they were watching a real battle unfold.
And then, the fight came to an abrupt end.
With a sharp Clang! sound effect, a wooden sword was drawn spinning wildly into the air. The next panel showed Gobta sprawled on his backside, while Bell stood frozen with his sword raised high. Though the conclusion was sudden, it was an undeniable victory for Bell.
『 "Phew... Thank you for the match," 』 Bell panted, catching his breath before offering a hand to the grounded Gobta.
『 "Man... you're way stronger than you look, sir. I kinda underestimated you..." 』 Gobta smiled wryly, taking Bell's hand and hopping lightly to his feet. He didn't seem to have taken any serious damage.
.....
"Still, this goblin…" Loki mused out loud. "Between his goofy habit of constantly saying 'sir' and that totally plain, unremarkable face… he kinda reminds me of Raul."
"Wha—!? Come on, that's just mean, Loki!" Raul cried out, clutching his chest in shock.
"But you do have to admit, his surprisingly good movement despite looking so plain is a lot like you, Raul," Aki pointed out.
"Even you, Aki!?"
Raul looked absolutely devastated. Unlike Loki, Aki clearly hadn't meant any harm by it—in fact, she was practically complimenting him. But that didn't change the fact that he was still being evaluated as 'plain and unremarkable'. Sobbing quietly at being directly compared to a goblin, Raul forced himself to keep reading.
.....
『 "Everyone, how about we take a break for lunch?" 』
As Shuna arrived at the training grounds carrying a large wrapped bundle, Gobta leaped into the air with joy.
『 "Oh, food, sir!" 』
Trailing just behind Shuna was Laurier, who was carrying a wrapped bundle of her own.
『 "I made a bento for you along with Lady Shuna. I hope it suits your tastes, Bell," 』 Laurier said softly.
『 "A handmade meal from you, Laurier?! Wow, I can't wait!" 』 Bell beamed, gratefully accepting the bundle.
Seeing his bright smile, Laurier returned it with one of her own. The expression beautifully illustrated on her face was nothing short of a maiden deeply in love…
.....
"""Mmmmm!!"""
A chorus of low, irritated growls echoed through the office as Ais and Tiona puffed out their cheeks, glaring intensely at the drawing of the smiling Laurier. The third source of the growling was Lefiya, who was glaring at the dopey, blushing drawing of Bell with a look of pure, unadulterated resentment.
"What's up with them?" Loki tilted her head, a massive question mark floating above her. Completely ignorant of the recent changes in their hearts—especially Ais and Tiona's—she couldn't comprehend their sudden hostility toward the book.
"Sigh..."
Riveria, naturally occupying the role of the Familia's mother, let out an exhausted sigh as she easily grasped the situation.
"It's tough work, isn't it, Riveria?" Gareth chuckled, sympathetically patting her shoulder.
.....
『 "Wow, onigiri!" 』
Untying the cloth, Bell's eyes lit up at the sight of the Far East cuisine—rice balls molded by hand. He eagerly picked one up and tossed it into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out adorably as he chewed. He looked exactly like a small rabbit happily munching on its food, a sight that instantly melted the hearts of Ais and Tiona, effectively neutralizing their previous glares.
『 "Huh? Come to think of it, Lady Laurier is your wife, right, Bell? Doesn't that make this an 'aisai bento'—a loving wife's homemade lunch?" 』
『 "Bffft!?" 』
At Gobta's entirely unnecessary observation, Bell choked, a spray of rice grains flying from his mouth. Panicking, Laurier gently rubbed his back and quickly offered him some tea to help him recover.
『 "Ah, sorry, Laurier. You're right... now that I think about it, this is... um, a loving wife's lunch that you made just for me. I'm sorry I scarfed it down without properly savoring it," 』 Bell apologized, his face flushed red.
『 "Not at all," 』 Laurier replied, a deep blush dusting her own cheeks. 『 "Seeing you eat so earnestly and happily... I found it, well, cute. It made me happy." 』
Gobta smirked knowingly at the blushing couple, while Shuna and Hakurou watched over them with warm, gentle smiles.
.....
"So sweeeet~. Can someone brew me some coffee? Make it as bitter as possible," Loki groaned, playfully clutching her stomach.
"I'll make some," Finn offered, standing up. "I was just wanting a cup myself. Anyone else? Besides Ais and Tiona, of course."
Taking a brief intermission for coffee, the group eventually settled back down to resume their reading.
.....
Bell's training in Tempest had concluded. As the group of five was walking down the main road, a young goblin came sprinting toward them in an absolute panic.
『 "Emergency! We've detected an unquantifiable energy reading deep within the Great Forest of Jura! Please gather in the meeting room immediately!" 』
At the sudden summons, everyone hurried to the conference room.
The room was filled with a diverse array of individuals, completely disregarding race or species. Bell and Laurier were among them, looking slightly intimidated by the overwhelming display of human-monster coexistence. Ignoring their blatant nervousness, the meeting commenced.
『 "Now then, the reason I've gathered you all here is simple. An entity possessing an unknown energy, one we've never seen before, has appeared deep in the Great Forest of Jura. That is the topic of today's meeting." 』
Rimuru, currently in his slime form, looked around the room. The faces of his subordinates were tight with tension, mixed with clear hostility toward a potential enemy of their nation.
Standing behind Rimuru with her arms crossed, Shion was already leaking a terrifying bloodlust that practically screamed, "I can cut them down at any time." Souei sat with his eyes closed, perfectly still, exuding a silent "Awaiting your orders" aura.
Benimaru furrowed his brow and spoke up.
『 "Unknown energy... and immeasurable at that. Lord Rimuru, is it on the level of a Demon Lord?" 』
『 "Or perhaps even a True Demon Lord," 』 Diablo chimed in, smiling elegantly. It was a graceful smile, but there was a distinct hint of dark amusement behind it.
Rimuru's gelatinous body bounced slightly as he answered.
『 "Hmm... To be honest, even I'm not entirely sure. It just feels completely disconnected from the laws of this world. It's foreign... almost like energy from a different world altogether." 』
The room instantly buzzed with murmurs.
『 "Um, by a different world... do you mean the energy from our world?" 』 Bell raised his hand timidly, sweating nervously as every eye in the room suddenly snapped toward him.
『 "Most likely. It probably came through a spatial rift just like you guys did. But the real problem is—" 』
『 "I shall explain the rest." 』
Interrupting Rimuru, a woman resembling a personified plant—whose sheer beauty rivaled even the most stunning of elves—bowed gracefully. Naturally, the room's attention shifted entirely to her.
『 "The entity possessing this energy is indiscriminately absorbing the magicules in its surroundings. The area where its appearance was confirmed has already been transformed into a barren wasteland where no monster can survive." 』
A wave of pure shock swept through the conference room. Magicules were the literal lifeblood of monsters. Having them absorbed and drained meant certain death for any monster caught in the crossfire.
『 "Does that mean this entity might be heading here?" 』 Benimaru asked sharply.
『 "Yes. We have confirmed it has begun moving in this direction in search of more magicules." 』
Treyni's confirmation caused the room's atmosphere to plummet into chaos. An entity that sucked away magicules—for the monster nation of Tempest, it was an existential threat that fundamentally denied their right to exist.
Shion abruptly stood up, her chair scraping harshly against the floor.
『 "Absorbing magicules...? That's beyond poison for monsters! Lord Rimuru, send out an extermination squad immediately—" 』
『 "Wait, Shion." 』 Benimaru stopped her with a low, commanding voice. He silenced her incoming protests with a sharp glare before turning back to Treyni. 『 "Lady Treyni, how fast is this entity moving?" 』
『 "I apologize. As time passes, both the range and the amount of magicules it absorbs increase. At present, even observation is impossible." 』
『 "Due to its nature of absorbing magicules, we can't even observe it, let alone approach it..." 』 Souei murmured quietly.
The primary fighting force of Tempest was comprised entirely of monsters. Against an enemy whose very presence passively drained their life force, they had almost no viable countermeasures.
.....
"Whoa, isn't this a huge pinch?" Tiona asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.
"Indeed," Finn nodded knowingly. "And it's exactly in situations like this that he takes the initiative."
.....
『 "Rimuru!! What can I do to help!?" 』
Cutting through the oppressive tension of the meeting room, Bell courageously raised his voice.
『 "Bell!? No, you guys aren't citizens of Tempest. You don't have to force yourselves to help. You should evacuate!" 』
『 "But that would mean abandoning this country! Laurier and I owe this place so much. I want to repay that debt!" 』
Looking into the boy's fiercely determined eyes, Rimuru unconsciously held his breath.
『 "And it's not just about the debt. There are so many different people in this country. Even if they're monsters, they're no different from us humans! I want to save everyone!" 』
The days he had spent in Tempest. The kindness he had been shown. The undeniable feeling of being protected and welcomed. All of it had crystallized into a single, burning resolve deep within his chest.
Understanding the weight of Bell's words, Rimuru fell silent. He twisted his slime body dexterously, deep in thought.
『 "...Alright. Then I'll assign you the task of investigating this mysterious entity. But if you think it's too dangerous, you run away immediately, got it?" 』
『 "Yeah, I promise," 』 Bell nodded firmly.
Suddenly, Laurier reached out and tightly gripped Bell's hand.
『 "If Bell is going, then I am going too. I refuse to let you face danger alone." 』
『 "But it's too danger—" 』
『 "So what!?" 』 Laurier snapped. 『 "I am your wife. I am not some defenseless Maiden of the Lake waiting for a knight to protect her!! That is why... that is why I will stand by your side this time." 』
A meticulously drawn flashback panel of their encounter with the Minotaur was inserted into the page, beautifully conveying the sheer depth of Laurier's unwavering resolve.
.....
"She's totally secured the winning heroine route here. Well, they're already married in this story, so I guess that's a given…" Loki commented dryly.
"…In reality, Bell isn't married yet," Ais muttered quietly, her eyes darkening just a fraction.
"Yeah! Don't say weird things, Loki," Tiona agreed with a sharp pout.
"Wow, so cold, you two! Did I really say something that weird?" Loki whined, on the verge of tears at the sudden icy treatment.
Deciding it was best to let sleeping dogs lie, Finn and the others ignored their goddess and refocused entirely on the book.
.....
In preparation for investigating the mysterious entity rapidly approaching the country, Bell went to receive a special set of equipment that the blacksmith Kurobe had been preparing for him.
It was a lightweight set perfectly tailored to Bell's small frame and his hit-and-run combat style. Colored entirely in jet black, the outfit bore a striking resemblance to the avatar of a certain famous gamer.
『 "And here're the weapons you left with me, lad." 』
『 "These are!?" 』
What Bell had left with Kurobe were the paired swords he had used to defeat the Minotaur: Reus and Leia. When Bell had first handed them over, Kurobe had offered to forge and temper them while sharpening the blades. Now, the two swords had been returned to him, completely reborn.
The originally reddish blade of Reus had transformed into a brilliant, shining silver, while the once vibrant green blade of Leia now emitted a calm, majestic golden glow. Both hilts and crossguards were lightly decorated but maintained a sleek, simple design, stripping away any useless ornamentation in favor of pure, deadly practicality. More than anything, the swords practically melted perfectly into Bell's grip.
『 "These swords've been completely reborn. Reus is now 'Silver Soul', and Leia is 'Luna Gold'. They've got the divine protection of a certain dragon we used for materials housed right inside 'em." 』
Bell's chest burned with sheer excitement at Kurobe's words. And naturally so—there wasn't a single adventurer alive who wouldn't be overjoyed at receiving a massive upgrade to their gear.
Stepping outside with his newly forged weapons, Bell found Laurier waiting for him. She, too, was clad in brand new gear perfectly suited for her role as Bell's wife—a stunning, elegant set of armor that looked like it belonged to an elite knight order, complete with a gleaming rapier resting at her hip.
.....
"It suits him pretty well. I kind of like the black-and-white color scheme," Tione praised with an approving nod.
"Right?! Bell looks super cool!!" Tiona cheered.
"Tch. An adventurer should prioritize practicality over looking cool. Well, it's just gear drawn in a picture anyway," Bete scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Grrr! To think someone like Bell Cranel gets to wear such amazing gear!! ...Though I won't deny that it suits him," Lefiya ground her teeth in frustration.
"Yeah, it's really nice. It suits Bell perfectly. He looks just like a hero," Ais whispered, completely captivated by the illustration.
With only a few minor complaints, Bell's new outfit was incredibly well-received by the executives.
"Still, it's drawn with an incredible amount of detail," Finn noted, closely examining the artwork.
"Aye. It seems the author has a deep understanding not only of figures and clothing but of adventurer equipment as well," Gareth stroked his beard in appreciation.
Hearing their glowing reviews, Riveria let out a deeply exasperated sigh.
"If that's the case, I wish they would just write proper stories like this all the time. It would save us a lot of headaches."
Finn and Gareth immediately nodded in silent, unified agreement.
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